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The Schlitz Mistake and What Beer Can Teach Us About Excellence

Pastor Mark Jeske in Milwaukee told me a great local beer story recently. He said that in the 1970s, Robert Uihlein, CEO of Schlitz Brewing instituted a string of cost-saving measures that gradually changed (and many would say cheapened) the taste of their flagship beer. He apparently thought the American public was just too ignorant to notice. It worked for awhile, but his strategy was eventually outed, and the word of mouth from angry customers caused a free fall in sales. In about 15 years the company lost 90% of its market cap and was finally sold to Stroh’s. One of America’s most popular beer brands crumbled, largely because they thought cutting corners was worth doing. To this day, to destroy your reputation by sacrificing quality is called “The Schlitz Mistake.”

Has your business, nonprofit, or church made “The Schlitz Mistake?” In a well intentioned effort to reach more people, sell more product, or increase donations, have you crossed a bridge too far? Brand equity takes years or decades to build and a very short time to destroy.

Never forget that excellence matters. You may be a low budget operation, but doing your best with what you have is the key to building trust and influence.

Mark went on to say that at a Rotary Club talk given by Craig Culver, co-founder of the restaurant “Culver’s” he said that the butterfat content in their frozen custard (high-end ice cream) is what gave it its taste and distinctiveness. If their margins ever got so compressed that something had to give, he promised that they would raise prices rather than diminish quality.

Craig Culver got it. Do you? In a digital world where word travels fast, whatever you do, don’t make “The Schlitz Mistake.”

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Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.

joesindorf

What? Schlitz once made a good tasting beer? (I applaud you and the good pastor Jeske for bringing beer into a discussion on the church. It brings to mind a quote from the great reformer, Martin Luther: “God reformed the Church, while I drank Wittenburg beer.” Glad Luther wasn’t drinking Schlitz.

Everything tastes great when it Schlitz on a Ritz. Maybe they could team up for re-branding come back?

Brian Blackmore

Milwaukee’s famous?

Simon Dillon

Can’t say I’d be too happy if my beloved Cornish ales were compromised in this way. On a less serious note, I have seen this mistake made time and time again in certain Christian organisations I could name (but won’t)…

Ken Van Horn

I keep asking what the quality of the product we produce says about us. What do we need to do to produce better Christians?

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About Phil

An internationally known writer and speaker, Phil Cooke has actually produced media programming in nearly 50 countries around the world. In the process, has been shot at, survived two military coups, fallen out of a helicopter, and in Africa, been threatened with prison. And during that time – through his company Cooke Pictures in Burbank, California – he’s helped some of the largest nonprofit organizations and leaders in the world use the media to tell their story in a changing, disrupted culture.